Filling spout with whistle



F C. WHITE FILLING SPOUT WITH WHISTLE March 1, 1955 Filed Feb. 4, 1952 INVENTOR.

' 4 FRED C.WHITE W- VK f I w HTTOBNEYJ United States Patent O FILLING SPOUT WITH WHISTLE Fred C. White, Renton, Wash., assignor of one-half to Griflin Fuel Company of Seattle, a corporation of Washington Application February 4, 1952, Serial No. 269,707

3 Claims. (Cl. 226-66) This invention relates to filling spouts, and it has reference more particularly to filling spouts which are designed for, or which are of the character of those employed for the dispensing of fuel oil, gasoline, or the like, into storage tanks; such a spout most generally being applied to the discharge end of a hand controlled valve mechanism at the end of a hose that leads from the source of supply of the liquid to be dispensed.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a spout for use in connection with the delivery hose and hand valve mechanism of the present day types of oil delivery trucks, although not confined or limited to such use; such spouts being characterized by embodying means therewith whereby an audible signal will be sounded while liquid is being delivered and which signal will noticeably change when the level of liquid in the storage tank approaches close to the full mark, and then ceases when that mark is reached.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a filling spout that is designed to prevent aeration of the liquid as it is discharged from the filling spout into the receiving tank, and also to prevent an overflow of the dispensed liquid from the filling pipe of the storage tank.

More specifically stated, the objects and advantages of the present invention reside in the provision of a filling spout of the above character that is adapted for ready attachment to the outlet of the usual hand operated valve mechanism of nozzles applied to the delivery hose of an oil delivery truck and which spout is applicable to the upper end of the filling pipe of the oil storage tank. Furthermore, to provide a spout that is fitted with a conically tapered gasket designed to be wedged within the entrance to the filling pipe to effect an air and liquid tight seal, and to equip the spout with a whistle that, under the influence of suction created incident to the discharge of liquid to the tank, will produce a sound that will have a distinct change in tone as the oil in the storage tank closely approaches the ffull level and will close when that level is reached.

Further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the specific details of construction of parts embodied in the spout; in their relationship and in the mode of use of the spout, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side view of a filling spout embodying the improvements of the present invention therein, as functionally attached to a delivery hose, and as applied to the filling pipe of an underground oil storage tank.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, longitudinal sectional view of the present spout, as seen on the line 2-2 in Fig. l.

3 is a sectional detail taken on the line 33 in Referring more in detail to the drawings- In Fig. 1, designates what may be the top, or upper end wall of an underground storage tank such as used for fuel oil; the tank having a filling pipe 11 extended directly upward therefrom and terminating preferably a few inches above the ground level, as herein indicated. Also, extended upwardly from the top wall of the tank to above ground level, is a vent pipe 12 which is open to atmosphere, at least during a tank filling operation. The pipe 11 is generally about two inches in inside diameter, but may be more or less.

Also shown in Fig. 1, and there designated by refer- 2,703,194 Patented Mar. 1, 1955 ence numeral 15, is the discharge end portion of a fuel delivery hose that may be extended from an oil delivery truck or other source of supply of the liquid that is to be dispensed. For the present, the liquid may be considered to be fuel oil, and the conduit 15 will be designated as the oil delivery hose.

Attached to the end of hose 14 by means of a fitting 15 is a nozzle 16 of a common type now used in connection with present day oil delivery truck apparatus, and attached to the discharge end portion 162: of the nozzle, is the present filling spout which in Fig. 1 is designated in its entirety by reference numeral 20.

The spout 20 comprises, a straight length of metal tubing of uniform diameter. At its upper end, as seen in Fig. 2, the piece of tubing is fitted and secured within a tubular nut 22. This nut has an upper end portion 22' that is threaded onto the open discharge end portion 16x of the nozzle 16 and an enlarged wrench head portion 22a to facilitate the use of a wrench for mounting or removal of the spout from the nozzle.

It will here be mentioned also that the present nozzle mechanism 16 is preferably of that type containing a shut-oif valve operated by a valve closing means including the hand lever 16k shown in Fig. 1. However, this type of valve or closing means is not essential to the functioning of the filling spout. Such a shut off may be at the other end of the delivery hose.

The present spout is characterized by the use therein of a signaling means, for example a device for producing a whistling sound, while the spout is contained in the tank filling pipe, as shown in Fig. 1, and oil is being discharged therefrom. To make this sound producing device operable, the spout must be contained in and have an air sealed fit in the upper end portion of the pipe 11. Also, the pipe 11 must provide air space between it and -the spout tube 21 and be of such length that the lower end of tube 21 will terminate substantially above the lower end of pipe 11 when the spout is properly applied to the pipe 11, for example as in Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 2; it is therein shown that a common type of suction Whistle 25 is employed as the signaling means. This whistle is mounted in a recess 26 formed in and opening to one side of the wrench head portion 22a of the nut 22. At its inner end, the housing of the Whistle is threaded onto one end of an elbow pipe fitting 28 that is contained inside of the upper end portion of the tube 21 and is joined to the whistle through a wall opening 29 in an air sealed joint.

At its other end, the fitting 28 connects with the upper end of a pipe 30 of small diameter that leads downwardly within tube 21 and at its lower end is connected through the mediacy of a valve mechanism designated generally by numeral 31 with the upper end of an elbow 33 that opens at its lower end through the side wall of the lower end portion of tube 21; the connection of fitting 33 with the wall of tube 21 being made by means of an axially bored screw 35 that has its head portion countersunk in the tube wall and its shank portion threaded onto the elbow. An axial bore through the screw provides an air passage.

The valve mechanism 31 comprises a tubular housing 36, to the opposite ends of which the pipe 30 and elbow 38 are connected. This tubular housing contains a check valve 37 that is urged at all times toward a closed position, against a valve seat 38 by a very Weak coiled spring 39. The valve permits downflow of air in pipe 30 but checks upfiow. Suction of air downwardly through the pipe causes the whistle to function.

Fitted about the upper end portion of the tube 21 is a downwardly tapered gasket or collar 40, of rubber or a like elastic material. At its upper end the gasket rounds into and terminates in an extended annular flange 42. The elongated taper of the gasket adapts the spout to be fitted for use in filling pipes of various diameters.

Assuming the various parts of the filling spout to be so constructed and assembled, and the spout to be applied to the nozzle 16 as described, and the lower end portion of the spout applied to the filling pipe 11 of a storage tank as shown in Fig. 1, thus to cause the gasket 40 to effect an air and liquid sealed connection between the spout tube 21 and filling pipe 11, the operation will be as follows:

When the valve mechanism of the nozzle 16 is opened, liquid is caused to be discharged from the lower end of spout 20 into the tube 11, a condition of partial vacuum will be created in pipe 21 immediately about the lower end portion of the spout and air will be sucked into the place of partial vacuum through the whistle 25 and pipe connections 28, 30, 31, 33 and 35 herein shown. Thus, assuming that there is a steady flow of oil into the storage tank, the whistle will emit a whistling sound that is substantially steady in pitch. However, as the oil in the tank approaches the full level, the condition of partial vacuum will change and the tone of the whistle will vary accordingly, and finally, as the oil level reaches the lower end of pipe 11, the sound then stops due to the creation of a back pressure of air about the spout. When suction of air through the valve housing stops, the valve 37 will close and the whistle then ceases to give out sound. An operator can judge by the changing sound of the whistle, when the full level is being closely approached and can be in readiness to close the nozzle valve mechanism instantly when the sound ceases, thus to shut off further flow of oil.

The present nozzle has various advantages other than that of acting as a warning signal. First, the sealing gasket 40 adapts itself to filling pipes of various diameters, and when fitted in the upper end of a pipe 11, prevents any possible overflow of oil, thus eliminating waste of oil and also avoiding that greater objection, which is damage to lawn and soil about the pipe from overflowing oil. Second, the air sealed connection about the spout prevents the drawing in or" excess air with the oil and a consequent aeration of the oil that reduces the effective volume of the tank.

Devices of this kind may be ntade in various sizes and put to various filling uses, and may be used with various kinds of filling hose or pipes, with or without the hand controlled nozzle valve.

It is possible to apply whistles or other indicators in various ways other than shown. However, the present disclosure is believed to present the most practical means and method of its application, since it avoids projecting parts on the outside of the tube 21. The present invention is based primarily upon a construction which makes possible the creation of a partial vacuum in that space between the filling tube 11 and lower por tion of the nozzle incident to discharge of oil from the spout, and the utilization of that condition of partial vacuum to operate means to indicate the fact that oil is flowing. Also, by change in or by the cessation of that condition to indicate that the tank is reaching or has reached a full capacity.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with a liquid storage tank having an air vent pipe leading upwardly from the top thereof and having a filling pipe extended upwardly therefrom, of a filling spout comprising a tube connected at its upper end with a liquid supply means and having its ,0

lower end portion adapted to be extended into the outer end of the filling pipe of said storage tank and having a materially less outside diameter than said pipe to provide a clearance between them and said tube being equipped intermediate its ends with a gasket adapted to be pressed into the receiving end of said filling pipe and effect an air-tight seal and to cause the lower end of the spout tube, when so applied to the filling spout, to terminate short of the inner discharge end of said filling pipe to prevent liquid rising therein when the tank is filled, a suction tube disposed lengthwise of said filling spout tube with its lower end disposed to open into the clearance space between the filling spout tube and tank filling pipe and its upper end disposed to open to atmosphere above the gasket, a whistle connected to said upper end of the tube and operable by suction as created by the discharge of liquid from the spout tube, and a spring biased normally closedcheck valve in the tube designed to open against the spring bias in a direction away from the whistle by said suction.

2. A signaling nozzle for attachment to a liquid dispensing hose for use in filling vented tanks, said nozzle comprising a rigid tube, means for facilitating attachment of one end of the tube to the hose, the tube having an opening through the wall thereof inwardly from said attaching means, a small diameter air conduit extending longitudinally of and disposed entirely within the tube and having one end communicating with the opening in the tube, an air operated whistle operatively coupled through said opening with the adjacent end of the air conduit, said whistle being designed to be sounded only by air passing therethrough into the attached conduit, said tube having an aperture through its wall adjacent to the end remote from the whistle, said conduit being joined at its other end to the tube in registrationv with said aperture, a spring loaded normally closed check valve in said conduit adapted to be opened only by the reduction of air pressure in the conduit between the valve and said aperture whereby atmospheric air will enter the. conduit through the whistle to operate the latter, said. valve functioning to prevent operation of the whistle by back pressure in said conduit and flow of liquid therethrough into the whistle, and a tapered collar encircling the tube between the aperture and the whistle.

3. A signaling nozzle for attachment to a liquid dispensing hose for use in filling vented tanks as set forth in claim 2, wherein the said means for facilitating the attachment of the tube to the hose comprises a tubular nutv having one end of the tube secured in one end thereof and having means at its other end for facilitating its attachment to the hose, the nut including an enlarged polygonal wrench head therearound at said one end, said wrench head having an outwardly opening recess therein and said tube opening through the bottom of and into the recess, said air operated whistle being completely housed in said recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 96,833 Phillips Nov. 16, 1869 2,545,233 Kaufman Mar. 13, 1951 2,580,157 Chadwick Dec. 25. 1951 

